Touch
by Icka M. Chif
Summary: Z/A Blanket Fic. Touch is the most basic of the human senses. So what happens when the most tactile and the least tactile members of Slayers end up stuck in a snow storm?
1. Touch I (Zelgadiss)

I just want to feel safe in my own skin, I just want to be happy again  
I just want to feel deep in my own world  
But I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore  
On a different day, if I was safe in my own skin, then I wouldn't feel lost and so frightened  
But this is today and I'm lost in my own skin  
And I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore  
I just want to feel safe in my own skin, I just want to be happy again  
-"Honestly Ok" by Dido from the 'No Angel' CD. (used without permission)  
  
  
Touch  
By Icka! M. Chif  
  
  
It was bitterly cold.   
  
Both internally and externally.   
  
Zelgadiss Greywords was used to the cold, so he ignored it. Instead, he concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other, breaking a trail through the knee high snow.   
  
The cold did effect his traveling companion however, and he was starting to worry a bit. The Princess of Saillune held on to his sword belt as she walked just behind him, as close as possible with out actually touching.   
  
The storm had blow up alarmingly fast, making it hard to see. She'd originally grasped his belt so that they didn't loose each other, but was now huddling under his cloak for added warmth. White was so easy to loose in the snow.   
  
Fortunately, Zelgadiss had been in these parts before, and remembered an empty cabin nearby, which is where they were headed now. He just hoped it was still there.  
  
He glanced back at Amelia to gauge how well the Princess was holding up. She looked frozen, tired and stiff. He felt a tinge of worry for her. The cold effected her more than him.  
  
"Little farther." He called to her, hoping the wind didn't blow his words completely away. She nodded, taking another step. One thing, he had to admit, was that she had never complained. Not once.   
  
He was half tempted to pick her up and carry her there, but squelched the thought. She'd probably refuse anyway.  
  
Turning back to the task at hand, Zelgadiss took another step, breaking the trail again. If he remembered correctly, the cabin should be-  
  
Ah-ha. Eureka. They were closer than he'd thought. He turned to point it out to Amelia, and noticed that she was starting to turn faintly, well, blue. It was less of an attractive colour on her than it was for his rock skin.  
  
Zelgadiss was really starting to dislike the colour pale blue.  
  
He tugged on the cloak, gaining her attention. She looked up. "There it is!" He gestured, pointing. The look of relief was clear in her eyes. "You want me to-" He made a gesture of picking her up without thinking about it. It just seemed natural.  
  
Amelia shook her head, squaring her shoulders. The message was clear. She'd made it this far on her own power, she'd make it the rest of the way.   
  
He nodded and pressed forward, his steps a bit lighter now that there was a goal in sight. A part of his mind chided himself. He'd been right about offering to carry her.   
  
He shunted that thought way as fruitless and focused on the cabin instead. Their shelter for the night was in much the same condition as he'd remembered it. A bit more snow covered, perhaps, but that was all.  
  
He got the door open and tugged on the cloak, helping Amelia inside. She literally fell inside as he hastened to close the door. It was marginally warmer in here than outside, but still freezing cold.   
  
"Lighting." Amelia gasped through chattering teeth. The spell flew from her hand and rose to the middle of the room, illuminating the area.  
  
"That won't last long." He warned her, slipping off his cloak. She blinked at him, surprised as he went to inspect the fire place.   
  
Whomever was here last was an idiot. The wood left beside the fireplace was all hard green wood, not easy to burn. He sighed, setting it up for a fire anyway, then draping his cloak over the mantle so it hung down in front.   
  
"Fireball."  
  
Amelia gasped as the spell flew from his hand at the fireplace. Normally, a fireball would take out the wall he was facing, if not the entire house.  
  
Instead, this one lazily wobbled it's way over to the fireplace, then disintegrated with a mighty wheeze and a puff of steam as soon as it hit the wood. The Princess blinked, taken back.  
  
"For some strange reason, this local area absorbs magical attacks. Spell won't work here. Or work for very long." He explained, picking up his cloak. "The more powerful they are, the faster they fade." That had been the reason why he'd been here originally, hoping that it might be a cure for his spelled body. It hadn't been.   
  
But least the cloak was dry now. And slightly warm to the touch. He handed it to Amelia, who was shivering again. "Here. Changed out of your wet clothes and wrap this around you. You'll need to warm up as soon as possible."  
  
She nodded, taking it with shaking hands. "T-thanks." The sphere of light above them flickered, then dimmed in intensity but remained lit. She noticed it with wary eyes, then looked down at the cloak.  
  
Zelgadiss quickly turned his back to her so she could change, fighting a slight blush. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but every time he was around her he always ended up blushing at some point or another. Or she ended up blushing. It was rather confusing sometimes.  
  
Lina was his best friend, or as close as he could call someone a best friend anyway. She was the first person who had ever really treated him... well, like a normal person since the change. He'd -never- been punched in the arm before. It was an ...interesting experience.  
  
Gourry got along with everyone, so long as they weren't trying to kill Lina. But just saying that was selling the fellow swordsman short. Gourry was about the only person he could fall back on when Lina and Amelia were being crazy again.  
  
And Gourry could handle Lina, as much as anyone could handle the fire tempered sorceress. That deserved major notes in anyone's book.  
  
Xelloss... he'd rather not think about. The same with Martina. He tolerated them because he had to. Nothing more, nothing less. Just like when he'd been dressed in drag.  
  
Amelia had been the one 'assigned' to him to make sure he was a properly looking female. She had seemed to enjoy the task, putting up with his muttering and complaints with good cheer as she'd brushed his hair and applied the make up.   
  
The hair brushing had taken the longest, he remembered. She'd insisted in doing it for him, taking great delight in the texture and feel of it.   
  
He couldn't really remember the last time anyone had brushed his hair, much less voluntarily touched him for that length of time. It was puzzling.  
  
One of the many puzzling things about the Princess of Saillune.  
  
"You can turn around now." Amelia whispered, breaking him out of his thoughts.   
  
"Thanks." Amelia had wrapped herself up in the cloak so that the only thing visible was her head. He blinked. It made her look younger, more vulnerable.   
  
He shook his head slightly to clear it. She was a White Mage, just like he was. And more than capable of taking care of herself. She proven time after time that she didn't need anyone's help.  
  
But that didn't mean that it wasn't occasionally welcome. "Let me see if I can't get your clothes to dry out some." He picked up her clothes and hung them over the fire place like he had his cloak.   
  
Amelia frowned slightly. "B-but what about you? Won't you get-t cold too?"  
  
"I don't get cold." He informed her with a slight smile. One of the few advantages of being partly stone.  
  
"F-fireball!" She tossed one at him anyway, knowing that it couldn't hurt him. The small ball of fire dwindled as it hit him in the stomach, creating a large cloud of steam as the water evaporated from his clothes.  
  
She smiled at him when he raised an inquiring eyebrow. "n-No reason to take the chance."  
  
"Ah." He turned back to her clothes and launched another fireball at the green wood. "Fireball!"  
  
This one faded faster than the first one had. Their magic probably wouldn't work until they got out of the area again. But it had the required effect, the clothes were at least warm to the touch and a bit drier than before.  
  
"They're still a bit damp." He apologised, setting them out to dry on the floor next to Amelia.   
  
"That's okay. I'll just borrow your cloak a little longer." She smiled, wrapping it a bit closer around her. He fought the urge to blush again. So he turned and sat down against the wall, careful to avoid looking at her in the hopes she wouldn't see.  
  
As if to help him out, the lighting spell dimmed again. Amelia blinked at it, trying to hide a shiver. The Lighting spell didn't actually add any heat, but it helped psychologically. Light usually equaled heat. Except when it didn't.   
  
Looking uncertain, she sat down on the rug, tucking his cloak under her. "Thank you for escorting me home." She said pleasantly. It was only because of his heightened sense of hearing that he was able to detect a slight tremor in it. "I know you don't like crowds and all."  
  
Crowds were another problem. Sometimes just hiding the way he looked out of sight wasn't enough. People got jostled in crowds, bumping into each other and off of each other. He'd scared people before when they had bumped into him expecting flesh and hitting stone instead. He imagined it was quite like running into a statue.  
  
Crowds could also quickly turn into mobs.  
  
"Think nothing of it." He murmured back, folding his legs up to rest his forearms on his knees. He rested the back of his head on the wall, making an effort to relax. The last time he'd been to Saillune was still stuck heavily in his mind; Amelia arriving home to be told her father was dead. He hadn't been, it had all been a power ploy by her late cousin Alfred and 2 mazoku. But it had still been a very dark time.  
  
That alone was enough to make him volunteer to escort her home when Lina and Gourry had suggested going the opposite direction. A part of him hadn't liked the idea of her going home alone. He'd lost 2 close friends when Zolf and Rodimus died. He wasn't going to loose the few he had left.  
  
"You always seem to be happy to go home." He commented, eager to switch trains of thought.  
  
Amelia blushed faintly, digging deeper into the recesses of material. "I'm always happy to see Tousan." She said, a slightly silly but fond smile on her face.  
  
She straighten, suddenly gaining her 'Justice Will Prevail!' look while somehow staying modestly in the confines of the cloak. "But one must make sacrifices in the noble pursuit of Justice!"  
  
She abruptly melted back into the cloak, sleepily blinking her eyes at him. "-Of course."  
  
"Of course." Zelgadiss agreed, wondering just how she did that. Her Father always seemed to be constantly on a Justice high. He was often grateful that she was a bit... calmer. Must be a hereditary thing, he mused. Her mother must have been an amazing person.  
  
"Does this mean that you're not as happy to be taking your duties back up as Princess?" He queried. Talking was good. Talking kept one from thinking.   
  
Thinking was bad. Thinking lead to the black abyss of despair.  
  
She considered his question thoughtfully. "I love my city, and the people in it too." She finally said. "But it doesn't seem like home without Tousan there. Tousan is my home, my ... family. He's all I have left, really."  
  
Sometimes, he envied her. She and her father were so close, it sometimes made his memories of his family seem dry, brittle.   
  
The strong will survive, that seemed to be the motto of his family. L-sama, it had been his own Great-grandfather that had cursed him with this form in the first place!  
  
No, her past and his were nothing alike.  
  
Her family was so... tactile. Phil and Amelia would frequently hug each other for what appeared to be no particular reason. Or Phil would just put a hand on her shoulder and she'd beam at him. Or they'd just stand closer together than most people did, so that their cloaks mingled together.   
  
It was confusing. Growing up, his family didn't touch. It wasn't that they disliked each other, but they just weren't physically affectionate. The idea that people would want to constantly be close to someone seemed strange.   
  
And yet, somehow he found that he didn't mind her company.   
  
"Tousan..." Amelia trailed off, looking up at the ceiling, shivering a bit.   
  
"Have you ever wanted to be touched... or hugged, just so you -know- other people are there so bad that your body aches?" She whispered.  
  
Zelgadiss froze, a butterfly suddenly caught in his chest. As if something he'd kept secret, so secret that he had managed to keep hidden from himself, was suddenly named and given form by the lips of the Princess of Saillune.  
  
"That's what it's like sometimes on the road. I guess you could call it 'Homesick'." She said softly, oblivious to his reaction as she curled into a ball so she could rest her chin on her arms. She muffled a yawn before continuing.   
  
"-But when I get back to Saillune, Tousan's there, and he just wraps me up in a huge bear hug, and it's like everything's okay again. All the monsters we faced, all the worries, all the troubles go away because I know he's there, I can feel him and life is wonderful again. I'm safe. I'm Home." She smiled at him, that silly fond smile she'd had on before creating a rather dreamy, if not sleepy, expression on her face.   
  
Zelgadiss stared at her.   
  
Then he caught himself staring at her, blinked and looked away to try to organize his thoughts. Hopefully before she noticed.  
  
Maybe... maybe they weren't so different after all.   
  
Amelia, in addition to being the youngest member of their group, was also the most tactile. She'd often cling to others if frightened if holding on to someone would make everything a little less real, a little less scary. Safety in numbers.  
  
He didn't like being touched. He wasn't used to it. She had always respected this, and would instead hold on to his sleeve or cloak as a support instead. Much the way the tactile sensation of holding his sword made him feel more confident. Or at least more confident in the eyes of his opponents.  
  
But when one broke cannonballs with their head, defected bullets with their eyelids and could snap a sword in two by touching it, it wasn't so much the matter of being touched, but touching others that was frightening.   
  
Humans were so much more breakable than stone or metal.   
  
He couldn't, wouldn't risk hurting anyone like that. So he kept his distance. He kept control. And no one got hurt. At least not physically.  
  
But maybe... just maybe this once touching someone could help someone, instead of hurt.  
  
To touch something, or someone was to make it real. It was one thing to see him, and think he was a freak. It was another to touch him and on a baser level -know- that he wasn't human.  
  
Amelia already knew he wasn't human. And didn't seem to care.  
  
His body and heart made the decision before his mind did. As if of it's own violation his arm reached out, a hand bridging the space between them.  
  
If he was offering or asking, he couldn't tell. But it was there and he could not take it back.   
  
Amelia blinked, staring at the hand for a moment, as if she wasn't sure if it was real. He was almost afraid that he had made a mistake, when an arm slid out of the material she was wrapped up in. Fingers brushed his as she slid her hand to rest her palm against his.  
  
Amelia rose, her hand resting in his and he was suddenly terrified. Of her. For her. Fear bubbled up inside that he was going to somehow hurt her.  
  
She smiled at him somehow reading his fears and assuaging them, making them insignificant. It was okay.   
  
Touch was okay.  
  
She turned, lowering herself so that she was curled up sideways in his lap, the cloak still wrapped around her. Amelia almost seemed to purr as she reclined against him.   
  
"I'm sorry." He whispered, carefully wrapping his arms around her. "I know I'm not much of a substitute for a real human."  
  
"No." She shook her head, startling him as she wrapped a cloak covered arm around him. "You're not a substitute for anyone."  
  
He couldn't think of a response to that. So he pulled the hood of the cloak over her head so that his hair didn't scratch her as they rested.   
  
Amelia sighed, burrowing closer against him as if she was taking pleasure in the contact. For a brief second, Zelgadiss almost thought she was a cat from the contented look on her face.  
  
The Lighting spell finally decided to faded away, leaving them in the dark. Amelia relaxed in his arms, drifting off to sleep. The realisation that she trusted him not to accidentally hurt her while she slept bolstered Zelgadiss' spirits.   
  
And he realised that for once, he was warm.  
  
  
Epilogue:  
  
  
"Ready to go?" Zelgadiss asked, tying his cloak back around his neck. The storm had blown out and it was morning once more.   
  
"Almost!" Amelia chirped back from behind him. They had finished drying her clothes with another weak fireball and she was in the process of putting them on. There was a muffled grunt, and the sound of a boot heel striking the wood floor. "Ready!"   
  
"Then lets go before the weather changes it's mind again." He said calmly, reaching for the door.   
  
"Hold on a moment, Zelgadiss-san." Amelia said, dashing in front of him. He paused, tilting his head as he waited.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
The next thing he knew, he had a armful of princess again.  
  
He stiffened and froze in place as Amelia hugged him around the torso, her head buried against his cloak. "Amelia? What are you doing? Let me go!"  
  
"No."  
  
"What?!"  
  
She giggled, giving him a squeeze, but did not let go. "You don't get enough hugs, Zelgadiss-san." She explained cheerfully. "So every time I see you, I'm going to hug you."  
  
"-Everytime we part, I'm going to hug you. And any time it's appropriate, I'm going to hug you. Until you're comfortable enough with people hugging you that you hug me back."  
  
Zelgadiss' mind decided to take a brief sojourner as he attempted to decipher just what the Princess had said.   
  
It was not logical. It didn't compute.  
  
Last night he had held her because she needed the warmth. But it didn't make sense that she would want more of that from a cold, heartless -chimeric- swordsman.   
  
A part of his brain finally kicked in. This was Amelia. She didn't think with her head, she thought with her heart.   
  
Just look at her father.  
  
He felt part of his walls crumble. How did she do this to him? How could Amelia get past his barriers like this, he wondered as he slumped. "Fine." He sighed, putting his hands on her shoulders to signal defeat.   
  
She looked up at him, a stubborn gleam in her eye. "Your not just saying that just to get out of here, are you?" She asked.  
  
He slouched a bit further. She really knew him too well. "No." He promised. "No, I'm not. But I have a request in exchange."  
  
"Deal." She agreed. "What is it?" She loosed her grip on him, allowing her to take a small step back to get a better look at his face.   
  
"I get to call you 'Imouto'." He affectionately ruffled her hair before taking a step back and opening the door.   
  
He couldn't give her what she wanted, he knew. Not right now. Maybe some day in the future. When he was human again. But for the moment, he could at least give her this.   
  
"Little sister'?!" Amelia demanded as he walked out the door in to the fresh snow. "Zelgadiss-san!"  
  
In response he laughed as he broke the trail ahead of her. Amelia made a disgusted sound behind him, then trotted forward to catch up. "Imouto. Feh."  
  
Zelgadiss smiled at her and messed up her air again, feeling a weight lift off his soul. She pouted at him before breaking out into giggles and straightening her hair.   
  
He teased her by reaching a arm out to mess up her hair again and she dodged, sticking her tongue out at him. He laughed.  
  
And somehow, it felt right.   
  
Fin.  
  
'Tousan' means 'Father'.   
'Imouto' means 'Little sister'.   
'Chikyoudai' would fit better, it means 'Foster sister', but we liked 'Imouto' better.  
  
The Epilogue is dedicated to Anneke. 


	2. Touch II (Prince Phil)

Musume = Daughter  
Tousan = Father  
Imouto = Little Sister  
Sumimasen = Sorry, pardon me.  
  
Touch II  
By Icka! M. Chif  
  
  
Prince Philionel was many things.  
  
Crown Prince of Saillune. Ruler of the White Magic Capital of the World. Defender of Justice. A mountain of a man, maybe not the best looking, but with a heart and spirit that exceeded even his physical strength.  
  
And the proud father of a special girl named Amelia.   
  
And right now, that's what he was, first and fore most.   
  
Prince Phil leaned against a window ledge, silently watching his daughter and her companion walk into the courtyard. He hadn't seen is daughter in several weeks, and that was normally enough to make him come charging out and envelope her in a warm hug like she had done for him so many times after returning from a journey.   
  
But a lesson he had learned long ago was that he could learn more about his daughter if he just watched silently for a few moments. Even if it meant delaying welcome home hugs.  
  
He was grateful to see that one of her traveling companions had returned with her. As much as he knew his daughter was capable of taking care of herself, he still worried about her. It was his duty as a father, and one he took very seriously.   
  
Amelia looked happy, he thought with a proud grin. There were no shadows in her eyes, no heaviness to her step as she danced along side her friend. Her trip had gone well. No doubt there would be stories to tell for the next couple of nights.  
  
Her friend caught his eye. It was the Shamanist Swordsman, Zelgadiss. There was something different about him.   
  
It wasn't that he was any less stony than the last time Phil had seen him. Or any of the other cosmetic changes that the chimera so fervently sought after. And he still walked with a calm measured grace, one eye out for trouble at all times.   
  
Amelia laughed, spinning in circles, drawing his attention back to her. As she spun, her boot heel caught a crack in the stones and she started to fall backwards.   
  
She never landed.   
  
Phil blinked, watching the scene below him with surprise.  
  
Zelgadiss had reached out and caught her before she had fallen too far. He supported her, hands just under her shoulders as she laughed, an embarrassed blush gracing her cheeks. He just gave her a small but fond smile as he helped her upright again.  
  
Phil's eyebrow rose, his parental instincts informing him that something had changed between the swordsman and his daughter while she had been gone.  
  
It wasn't a big change, mainly a lot of little ones. Meaning nothing in and of themselves, but together it presented a marked difference.   
  
Zelgadiss walked closer to his daughter, close enough that their cloaks would occasionally brush each other instead of hanging back a few paces, as was his usual wont. Amelia responded in kind, appearing confidant with the change of distance. There also were fewer shadows hanging around the swordsman's eyes, and his posture was more relaxed.   
  
The chimera was acting almost human.  
  
Phil smiled, knowing that this was somehow his daughter's doing. His Amelia was an amazing person. She could charm the birds out of the trees, if she so chose.  
  
Of course, part of that was probably Fatherly Pride speaking. But he had seen her do it in the past.   
  
His smile faded into an amused surprise when his daughter unexpectedly turned around and hugged Zelgadiss.  
  
By the look on the swordsman's face, he wasn't the only surprised one. The chimera froze, doing a remarkable impression of a stunned statue.   
  
Finally Zelgadiss moved, gingerly moving a hand up to affectionately messed up Amelia's hair. Not the normal response to a hug, but certainly the most demonstrative Phil had ever seen the distant swordsman.   
  
His daughter seemed to think it was the incorrect response as well, and cheerfully chided him. Phil couldn't quite hear his response, but Amelia gave Zelgadiss a dirty look, sulking as she released him. The swordsman grinned, clearly enjoying the teasing and light hearted banter.   
  
She grinned back, and said something he couldn't hear. But the response was amusing, if not unexpected. Zelgadiss made a face at her, causing her to break out in peals of laughter.   
  
Phil grinned again, her laughter echoing through the castle was music to his ears. Several of the castle residents around him noticed the sound as well and smiled, a lighter step in there walk. It was good to have her home again.  
  
The swordsman gave his daughter one last smile before turning and walking out of the courtyard with a friendly wave and a swirl of his cloak. Amelia waved animatedly back, cheefully wishing him safe travel.  
  
Phil took that as his cue to step into the courtyard. "AMELIA!!"  
  
Amelia lit up as she turned around to greet him. "TOUSAN!!!"  
  
"Musume!" He scooped her up into a big hug as she ran towards him. His daughter was getting very strong, he noted. Once she finished growing, she'd probably be able to pick him up when he went to hug her.   
  
Ah, his little girl was growing up so fast!  
  
But for now, she was still his little girl and he had several weeks worth of hugs to catch up on.   
  
Finally Amelia gave a small contented sigh, his signal that she had had enough hugs. For now. "So how was your trip, musume?" He asked, setting her down.   
  
"Fun, Tousan!" She chirped, sliding an arm around his as they walked into the palace. "Lina-san managed not to blow anybody up this time! ...at least not too badly."  
  
He chuckled, sure that that wouldn't last for very long. Lina had more fire in her than she knew what to do with.   
  
"And how are Gourry-san and Zelgadiss-san?" He inquired, nodding a greeting to a passing cleric. The cleric nodded back, a smile on his face when he noticed Amelia.   
  
"Gourry-san is still traveling with Lina-san." His daughter happily reported. "I don't think they'd know what to do without the other. And Zelgadiss-san is doing fine."  
  
"Yes, I noticed the faces you were giving each other earlier." He said, not bothering to hide the amused twinkle in his eyes.   
  
His daughter made a face before quickly covering it up. "Tousan!" She scolded. "It's not polite to spy on other people!"  
  
He laughed. "Ah, Sumimasen, sumimasen." He soothed, amused by her bristling reaction. She glared at him, causing him to grin. Sometimes his daughter reminded him so much of her mother, all spirit and heart.   
  
Amelia gave him one last final glare before smiling back. Yet another thing she had inherited from her mother, the inablity to stay mad long at the little things.  
  
"So, Amelia. What did he call you to provoke such an interesting reaction?" He asked in an easy tone. Maybe not the most subtle of methods of discovering information, but certainly one of the most effective.   
  
She blushed. "Imouto." She muttered.  
  
His eyebrow raised. "'Little sister'? Musume, is there something you're not telling your Tousan?"  
  
"Tou~san!!"   
  
He chuckled. It was good to have her home again. Nobody else could quite scold at him like she could. Not even Christopher, and that was saying something.  
  
"Not everybody is as lucky as we are." She said primly. "And Zelgadiss-san needs to learn how to hug. So I'm teaching him."  
  
He smiled at her, pride swelling in his heart. His daughter really was amazing an amazing person. "I hope he realizes what a good friend you are." He commented.   
  
"Iie." Amelia smiled, giving him a quick hug. "I'm a very good little sister."  
  
Fin. 


	3. Touch III (Gourry, Amelia and Lina)

Touch III  
By Icka! M. Chif  
  
  
Gourry wasn't the smartest person around. He knew this and accepted it with the easy grace that was his trademark. He left being the smartest one up to others. It was no skin off his back, and between Lina and Zelgadiss, they seemed to have that job well in hand.  
  
Besides, while he wasn't the best at understanding spell books or remembering who Lina had blown up, he was adept at reading people. It was one of those things that made him a good swordsman. It helped to know if someone was going to parry or feint, or when someone was about to attempt to ambush them from the trees.   
  
And he liked to think he was good at it.   
  
But right now, he was having a bit of trouble reading Zelgadiss.   
  
Granted, it was because Gourry was in the middle fighting over dinner with Lina and Amelia, but that didn't stop him from pondering while defending his fair share of the food.  
  
Usually Zel was a pretty easy read. Easier to read than Lina, anyway. Most people were. With Lina, he was never quite sure if he was about to get hit or, well, hit depending on what he said. It didn't seem to matter. Saying the right thing meant a pat on the back, which was about the same as getting hit.  
  
But it was the thought that counted.  
  
But with Zel, it was usually a great deal easier. He either commented, or he didn't. He fought, or he didn't. But if he did, all of his energy was behind it. There was no real half way point with the other swordsman.   
  
Which brought him back to why Zel was being hard to read tonight.  
  
Somehow, Zel was both more relaxed than usual while at the same time being more on guard. It was an odd mix, especially for the chimera.  
  
But Gourry was pretty sure it had something to do with the way Zel had been keeping an eye on Amelia since they had first greeted each other in the Tavern. It was almost as if Zel was being... territorial.   
  
He should recognise the signs. After all, he did the same with Lina, whether the red-head realised it or not. You didn't have to physically shout or hang signs that someone was under your protection when a few well placed glares would do the same.  
  
And unless he was reading Amelia the wrong way, she was being just as territorial about Zel as Zel was about her. And she was also going after the same meatball Lina was. Bad idea.  
  
All in all, the whole thing was rather interesting.   
  
But not quite as interesting as that last bite of fried chicken-  
  
"Got it!" Amelia cheered, snatching the crunchy morsel out of Lina's grasp and popping it in her mouth.  
  
"Ame-li-a..." Lina growled, her temper visibly flaring. Gourry scooted his chair back a bit. Just in case.   
  
"Time for bed! Good night everyone!" Amelia quickly chirped, quickly backing up and aiming for the stairs that lead up to their rooms for the night.   
  
Gourry sighed, mentally shaking his head. That wasn't going to stop Lina from exacting her revenge. He'd learned -that- from experience.  
  
"Good night, Amelia." He chorused anyway, silently wishing her good luck. She'd need it. Lina was starting to pull up her sleeves, which meant she meant business.  
  
Amelia noticed and gulped, glancing between the irate sorceress and Zelgadiss, who was next to her, quietly sipping his drink with an amused air. Gourry shook his head again. Zel made a great wall, but he wasn't Lina-proof.   
  
But then, not much was. One of the things he admired about her.  
  
Amelia made one last glance at Lina before making her move. "Good night, Zelgadiss-san!" She cheered, wrapping her arms Zel's shoulders.  
  
Lina paused in mid-step. Gourry gave Amelia points for a good distractionary tactic and waited for Zel's blush to follow.  
  
It didn't. "Pleasant dreams, Imouto." He said calmly, using his non-coffee holding hand to reach up and awkwardly pat her on the head.  
  
Both his and Lina's jaw dropped. Amelia beamed, releasing the chimera to bounce up the stairs, un-harmed.  
  
Zelgadiss calmly took another sip, ignoring their slack-jawed reaction. "It's impolite to stare." He finally commented.  
  
"But... but..." Lina sputtered, before regaining her composure. She coughed, gaining a sly look. "So... How long has -this- been going on?"  
  
Zel glared at her, looking indignant. Lina laughed, patting him on the back. "I'm teasing! I'm teasing!" She assured him, plopping down in the chair next to him.  
  
Gourry didn't trust it. "Amelia's your sister?" He questioned. Their hair may have had a similar flip to it, but he'd never heard that they were related before.   
  
"Adopted." Zelgadiss said grudgingly.   
  
Lina turned her large kawaii eyes toward Zel and Gourry had to fight to prevent himself from either rolling his eyes or grinning. Lina was -good- at getting what she wanted, either thru manipulation or muscle.  
  
Zel sighed, as if sensing a futile battle and set his coffee cup down. "She decided I didn't get enough hugs." He said, as if the words were stones being pulled out of his skin.   
  
Gourry shrugged. Made sense, he supposed. In a strange way.   
  
Lina leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Would you like a hug, Zeeeellll?" She grinned.  
  
Zelgadiss glared at her. "Do it and I'll tell Prince Phil you don't know how to hug correctly." He threatened.  
  
She laughed. "He didn't!"  
  
"He did." Zel sulked.  
  
"Do I get a hug?" Gourry asked, completely confused as to what they were talking about. But if Lina was offering hugs, he wouldn't mind one from her.  
  
A pair and a half of bright eyes blinked at him.  
  
"-and on that note, I'm going to head up to bed." Lina said, rising. Her cheeks were a little pink, Gourry noted with some concern. "Good night."  
  
"Sleep well." Zelgadiss smirked, picking his cup back up and taking a sip. Lina waved and headed up stairs as well.  
  
"You both look happier." Gourry noted, picking up his sword as he rose as well. "I'm glad you and Amelia adopted each other."  
  
"Thanks." Zelgadiss sighed, looking some what relieved at the words.  
  
"But I think I'll leave the making sure you get enough hugs to Amelia." He added as an after thought.  
  
Zelgadiss sputtered, nearly choking on his coffee. "Thanks..." He muttered dryly.   
  
Gourry grinned. "You're welcome. G'night Zel!"  
  
"Good night."  
  
The swordsman smiled as he headed up the stairs to his room for the night, next to Lina's. Her door was open a crack and he knocked on it. "Lina?" He called in.  
  
"Yeah, Gourry?" There was the soft patter of footsteps, then the door opened. He grinned at her. She'd already taken her cloak off, getting ready for bed. Her cheeks weren't as pink anymore either, he was pleased to note.   
  
"Just wishing you a good night." He said cheerfully.   
  
She smiled back. "Thanks. Same to you, Gourry."  
  
Lina walked over and carefully poked her head out the door, glancing both ways down the corridor, as if checking for something. Gourry blinked. He was the only one out in the hall, everyone else was downstairs or in their rooms.  
  
Quick as a blink, she leaned out, wrapping her arms around him for a quick squeeze before ducking back in her room. "Good night!" She called, shutting the door behind her.  
  
Gourry stared at the closed door for a minute, a grin slowly working across his face. He then turned and continued to his room, his smile not faltering for a moment.   
  
Hugs were great things.  
  
***  
  
Amelia bolted straight up, a scream stuck in her throat as she suddenly returned to consciousness.   
  
A dream, she told herself as she ran a hand through sweat-drenched locks. It had all been a dream.   
  
She shivered, scenes from the nightmare flashing through her head, unbidden. Everyone had been laying around her, dead. Tousan, Oneesan, Okasan. She'd tried to fly away, flee to safety, but their empty gaze had held her trapped. Lina-san, Gourry-san and Zelgadiss-san had been there too, their vacant eyes staring at her. Accusing her for living while they were dead.   
  
Amelia shivered again curling up and wrapping her arms around her knees. Why did everyone around her have to die?  
  
No, she reminded herself. Not everyone was dead. Lina-san, Gourry-san, Zelgadiss-san and she had survived the worst both the Gods and the Mazoku could throw at them. And emerged victorious.   
  
And Tousan was safe in Saillune. He was okay too. She just had to believe that. She'd see him soon. Oneesan was alive and happy somewhere too.   
  
She shivered again, sliding out of her bed. She couldn't check up on Tousan or Oneesan, but it couldn't hurt to check on the others. If nothing else, it would put her nightmare to rest.   
  
Amelia crept down the hall, toward her companion's rooms. She paused outside of Lina's room, opening the door a crack to peer in. Lina-san was visible in the dim light, sprawled out on the bed, snoring away. As she watched, Lina-san turned over, muttering something in her sleep.   
  
She smiled, backing out of the doorway and carefully shutting the door behind her. Lina-san was fine.   
  
Tip-toeing down the hall, she paused outside of Gourry's door. She didn't have to open it, she could hear the swordsman's snoring through the door. As she listened, she could have sworn she heard him mutter about Lina and food.  
  
Yup. Gourry was fine as well. Biting her lip to hide a smile, she continued on to the last room on the hall, Zelgadiss-san's.  
  
Pausing outside the door, she pressed her ear against the door. There was no sound from within. Suddenly nervous, she opened the door a crack, peeking in.   
  
Zelgadiss-san was stretched out on the bed, one arm flung over his head to hide his eyes. He appeared to be asleep, but she couldn't tell. She blinked, straining her ears and eyes for any sign of breathing.   
  
There was none, it was looking at a statue. Or a corpse.   
  
Amelia swallowed, the butterflies in her stomach returning with a vengeance. She wanted to check on him, know for certain that he was fine, but at the same time, she was afraid to. Even with him calling her 'Little Sister' and the light teasing as of late, Zelgadiss-san was still a very private person. If he was fine, he might take objection to her sneaking into his room late at night.   
  
When he didn't move for many heartbeats, Amelia slipped in anyway. She was just going to do a quick check, make sure he was breathing to lay her fears to rest, then go back to bed.   
  
She had only gotten about half way into the room when she saw his eyes open from where they were hidden under his arm "Amelia?" He asked, a slightly puzzled tone in his voice.   
  
Amelia froze. Uh-oh. "Sorry." She stammered. "I-I was just checking on you."  
  
He sat up swinging his legs off the bed as he did so. Amelia suddenly felt bad for intruding. He obviously hadn't been expecting any visitors in the night, he'd gone to bed without his shirt. She didn't mind the view, but she knew that he usually didn't like people looking at him. "Is everything alright?" He asked, tilting his head to the side.   
  
She shook her head, backing up a small step. "Y-yeah. I just had a bad dream, and wanted to make sure-" She trailed off, swallowing. Cepheid, did that sound really lame...   
  
Zelgadiss-san tilted his head to the side a bit, looking like he was giving serious thought to something. "Do you... Would you like a hug?" He hesitantly asked after several furious beats of her heart.   
  
Amelia melted, a non-existent pressure melting off her back. "Yes." She nodded, feeling very much like a little child. She took a step forward as he tentatively opened his arms, looking like he wasn't quite sure about the mechanics of offering a hug.  
  
It was enough. Throwing dignity to the winds, she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He let out 'oof!', keeping himself upright while wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"Thank you." She murmured into his chest. His heartbeat was calm and soothing sound under her head. His skin had a bumpy texture under her cheek, but not unpleasant. And he smelled good. Sort of like the spicy scent the earth smelled of after a rain. She liked it.  
  
"Just being a good big brother." He replied, running a gentle hand through her hair. There was a hint of awe in his voice, as if he couldn't believe that he was doing this.  
  
She yawned, the previous terror fading away with the contact, to be replaced with slumber. "You're taking that seriously, aren't you?" She mumbled.  
  
"Seemed only fair." Was his muffled reply. "You're the one running around hugging me."  
  
Amelia giggled, somehow finding it funny as her mind drifted off. He was her anchor, she decided with the hazy logic of sleep. Keeping it safe for her to fly without fear of becoming trapped...   
  
***  
  
"Zel?" Lina called, opening the door to Zelgadiss' room. She'd woken up about half an hour ago when someone had opened the door and gotten worried when she hadn't heard any return footsteps. "Do you know where Amelia is? She's not in her room."  
  
"She's fine." He answered back as Lina walked in. And promptly did a double take.   
  
Amelia was curled up in a little ball Zelgadiss' lap. What was even stranger was that he had his arms wrapped around her to keep her from falling off.  
  
He also wasn't wearing a shirt.  
  
"She had a nightmare." He deadpanned.   
  
Lina grinned, walking over to turn the chair next to the bed around so she could straddle it. They looked cute, she decided. Zel could be so protective without realising it.  
  
"I'll put her to bed once her grip on me relaxes." He continued, looking uncomfortable under her scrutiny.   
  
"Then you'll probably wake up with her here in the in the morning." She smirked. He shot her a dirty look. She ignored it.   
  
"She'll occasionally have bad dreams when we're rooming together too." Lina commented off handedly. If anything woke her up, you automatically knew it was either bad, loud or obnoxious. In this case, it was usually the first two. "Usually a couple of nights after someone's been hurt."   
  
He nodded. "I'm not surprised, with her family. Her mother murdered, her older sister vanished. The trouble with Randy and Alfred-"  
  
"-And the fact that we've died a couple of times too." Lina added with a scowl, scratching the back of her head. That plus all the monsters and deamons they had faced was enough to give anyone a lifetime of nightmares. Even she had them occasionally. Not very often, but enough to give her some sympathy with the younger girl. Which is why she never mentioned being woken up by Amelia's nightmares.   
  
Zel nodded, agreeing with her. He'd probably had a few as well. Heck, she knew that even Gourry had a had a few nightmares of his own. Though he never seemed to be able to remember what they were about in the morning.   
  
She envied him sometimes.   
  
"How does Phil take you playing 'Big Brother' to his daughter?" she asked, deciding to change the topic to less melancholy subjects.   
  
"He seems to find it amusing." He sighed. Zel had obviously not taken the Crown Prince of Saillune, nor his reaction in to account when 'adopting' Amelia. She grinned, a cat like look in her eyes.   
  
"At least he trusts you with her." She commented. "Imagine if he didn't."  
  
The stricken look on Zelgadiss' face was humorous, to say the least. Lina snickered. Zel wasn't the most imaginative person she knew, but he could come up with a few doozys now and then. She was half curious to find out what he was picturing, but it was late and she didn't want to wake the sleeping princess.   
  
"How's Amelia taking it?" She asked, resting her arms on the back of the chair and resting her chin on them.   
  
"It's not quite what she would like." Zel said cautiously. "But it's a bit more than I'm completely comfortable with."   
  
With the possible exception of Gourry, with whom it was hard to tell with sometimes, they had all been aware that the Princess of Saillune liked Zelgadiss as more than a friend for quite a while now. It was just one of those things that everyone knew, and no one talked about.   
  
"She seems pretty comfortable with it." Lina commented, with a pointed look at the sleeping girl. Zel blushed, causing her to grin again. He was so much fun to tease sometimes! She waved a hand at him, letting him know she was joking.   
  
"You've matured." Lina commented, turning slightly serious again. "The Zel I first met wouldn't let anyone close enough to voluntarily call them family. It's nice."  
  
"We've all changed." He commented softly. "You and Gourry have grown a lot too."  
  
"I don't think Gourry will ever quite grow up." She grinned. It was one of the things she liked about him. Gourry was one few stable things in her life. Along with eating, sleeping, treasure gathering and blowing up bandits.  
  
Zel's face turned solemn as he looked at the wall, toward the room next door. "He loves you, you know. He'd follow you anywhere."  
  
She swallowed, nodding. "I know." She knew it a bit too well. He'd died for her, then chased her into the Sea of Chaos after her. And she'd do the same for him, if need be. The few times that she had traveled without him since their first meeting were not ones she cared to remember too much.   
  
Of course, the first 2 times they had split up, they had also ended up meeting Zel, and then Amelia and her father. That had to count for something too. She just wasn't sure what.   
  
"Ne, Zel?" She asked. He looked up at her, a questioning look in his eyes. "I'll take care of Gourry, if you'll keep an eye on Amelia. They need us, you know." She grinned.  
  
He gave her a slight smile back. "Of course. Isn't that what big brothers do?" He asked innocently.   
  
She gave him a friendly punch in the arm, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl in his lap. "And what happens when you grow out of that?" She asked pointedly.  
  
He sighed. "Then... we'll see. Hopefully I'll have my cure by then. If not-" He shrugged.  
  
"Hard to be pessimistic with a cute girl on your lap?" She grinned, rising from her seat.  
  
He glared at her. "I'm hard on general principles, if you hadn't noticed."  
  
She gave him a calculating look, leering. "I'll have to ask Amelia in the morning."  
  
Zel blushed, suddenly catching the double meaning. "Lina!" He hissed.  
  
She laughed, wiggling her fingers as she danced out the door to head back to her own bed. "Don't keep her up too late!" She sang, closing the door behind her.   
  
Zelgadiss was one of her best friends, Lina mused, wandering back down the hall. And he was the best one for her to talk to about serious issues. It was nice to see him opening up a bit, becoming more human. It was amazing the change that the occasional hug brought on someone.   
  
Those two were good for each other, Lina thought with a grin. Amelia opened Zel up, making him more human and in exchange, he provided her with the stabilizing presence she needed when in danger of flying too far or too fast in the pursuit of justice.  
  
Maybe opposites really did attract. In their case anyway. What ever the reason was, she was glad they had found each other. Even if this 'Big Brother/Little Sister' thing didn't last.  
  
As close as Amelia and Zelgadiss were to her, they just didn't seem to appreciate the finer things in life like she and Gourry did. The scent of adventure in the air, the blue sky over your head, the green grass under your feet, a full coin purse and an 'All-You-Can-Eat-For-A-Silver' Buffet in the next town.   
  
As she passed by Gourry's room, she paused and stuck her head in to check on the slumbering swordsman. He was sleeping much the way he always slept, all over the bed and snoring faintly. She smiled fondly and shut the door.   
  
Amelia wasn't the only one that took comfort in the closeness of her friends.  
  
Fin. 


End file.
